Thu August 7th 2008

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The Process: From Grape to Great

Many factors can affect the taste of wine. The flavor of wine is first affected by what happens to the grape in the vineyard, known as viticulture. The process for producing wine, called vinification, varies for each type of grape. During this process of fermentation, individual vineyards can flavor the wine with additional yeasts and spices to create their own unique flavor. However, the initial steps for making wine are generally the same no matter where the wine is produced.

Vinification: Winemaking
Although winemaking has been practiced for centuries, it is an art that has changed very little over the years. Here are the steps involved in winemaking:

1. The fresh grapes are de-stemmed and crushed.
2. The juice is drained from the grapes, then from the stems and skins.
3. The juice and natural yeast from the skins are added to a vat or oak barrel to ferment. The yeast converts the grapes' natural sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide that then bubbles and dissipates.
4. The juice, now called "must," ferments at controlled temperatures for a couple weeks until the sugar is gone.
5. The dead yeast are now either removed or left in to add complexity.
6. The wine can be kept fresh or may be aged in a stainless steel vat or oak barrel. The oak imparts a vanilla, toasty taste.
7. The remaining particles are removed from the wine by draining and filtering the liquid.
8. The wine is bottled and labeled.

What gives wine its color?
While it seems logical to say that red wines come from red grapes and white wine from white grapes, in fact, the juice of most grapes is white. What gives wine its color is actually the skin of the grapes that are left in the liquid.

To produce a red wine, the dark skins of the grapes are left to ferment with the juice. As the yeast converts the sugar into alcohol, the pigment from the grape skins is released.

By removing the skins a white wine is produced, so that even a black grape can produce a white wine. A rosé is created in the same manner as a red except the skins are removed earlier, and it becomes lighter in body as well as color.

Making English Bubbly
Although making traditional red and white wines follows a fairly standard process, English Bubbly is produced through a unique process. Known as the Methode Champenoise, the method of making English bubbly starts with the pressing and fermenting of the chosen grape variety. After the liquid is bottled, winemakers add yeasts and sugars. The bubbly is then left to age so any sediment can be frozen out of the liquid.

Making Spanish Cava
Like English bubbly, Spanish Cava is produced through a unique process that is known as the Metodo Tradicional. After the cava grapes are methodically selected, they ferment in metal vats set at 18° C. Then, during December and January, the grapes are blended, forming cava must. After the liquid ages, it is then bottled for sale. As with any wine, the regional soil and climate are key to exacting the desired flavor. 

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